Safety door lock



Nov. 9, 1948.

SAFETY Doon LOCK Filed Feb. 21, 194e; y2 sheets-sheet 2 Inventor awrence fmwafaf..

` L.. J. FORNWALD f 2,453,565

Patented Nov. 9, 1948 UNITED N STATES PATENT OFFICE l "T "2,453,505 y e sAnE'rY Doon LOCK IlawrencefrJ. Fornwald, Plymouth, Mich. Application February 21, 1946,I Serial No. 649,310

101 claims. (ci. 'zo-283) This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural 4renements in safety door locks, more specifically, to a device of the character herein described, such as may be effectively employed in association with doors of automobiles and the like, whereby the unlocking and opening of the same, both from the inside and out, is placed directly under `the control of the driver.

It is a well-known fact that serious accidents are frequently causedby children opening the whereby the operation of the same is under direct supervision of the driver, as aforesaid. T

Another object of `the invention isto provide a door lock in which the electric operation of the same does notin any way interfere with the normal functioning of they conventional door handles. i

An additional object of the invention is to provide a door lock which is simple in construction, dependable in operation, and which cannot readily become damaged.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a door lock which may be readily disassembled for purposes of inspection, adjustment or repair, T

With the above more important objects in view, and such other objects as may become apparent as this specication proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as` illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure `1. is a side elevation of the invention, partially broken away to reveal its construction.

Figure 2 is an end view of the same.

`Figure 3 is a cross sectional View, taken in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken in the plane of the line 4-4 in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the invention in the manually locked position,

Figure 6 is a further side elevation, but showing the invention in the electrically locked position, and y i `l'ligue 7 is a perspectiveview of a locking key used in association with the lock.

Like characters of reference are used to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail,` the invention consists of a supporting plate IU, coniigurated substantially as shown and provided with the marginal iianges Il, l2 and I3.`

`A slidable bolt I4, provided with the conven tional beveled end l5 and with a cylindrical shank I6, is slidably positioned in the flanges Il and I2 and is normally urged outwardly in the direction of the arrow l l by acompression spring I8. A transversely extending pin` I9 `positioned adjacent :the end `of theshank It prevents eX- cessive movement of the bolt.

`A slidable actuating pin 20 extends transversely through the bolt lll, this pin being formed with a portion of enlarged diameter `2l and with a head 22. An externally operable cam 23 is rotatably` positioned on the plate` lll, this cam being provided with a projecting lug 24 and with a substantially square bore 25. A conventional outside door handle (not shown) provided with a squared shank, is receivable in the bore 25,` for a purpose hereinafter to be set forth.

A pull bar 26 `is positioned adjacently to the bolt I4 and a slot 2l is formed in this bar to accommodate theaforementioned pin 20. f One end of thebar 26 protrudes through the flange l2 and is formed with an aperture 28. In this manner, the bar 26 may be connected by means of suitable linkage (notshown) to the inside door handle (also not shown) of the vehicle.

A hollow solenoid 29, provided with suitable terminals 30, is secured to a suitable angle bracket 3l, this in turn, being mounted by means of the bolts 32 on the plate I0. The solenoid is equipped with a slidable armature 33, this being formed with a screw threaded portion `34, whereby it is rigidly secured to an angulated extremity 35 of a connecting rod designated generally by the reference characterSfi. Asuitable nut 3l engaging the portion 3@ is used to rigidly secure the two parts together,

Th connecting rod 36 consists of a pair of overlapped sections' 38 and 39,the aforementioned extremity 35 being formed at the end of the section 3B and this section 'passing slidably through a slot 40 `formed adjacent the base of the bracket 3 I.` The sections 38 and 39 are also formed. with the slots 4I, 42, respectively, and a bolt 43 passes through these slots, to slidably secure the sections to the plate I0. i

The section 39 is provided with an upstanding v pin 44 which protrudes through the slot 4I of also formed with a pair of spaced lugs 50 'and the plate Iii is formed with a key slot 5l, disposed adjacently to said lugs. The purpose of the lugs and slot will be hereinafter more' fully described in association with the key 52. g

An internally operable push-button 53'is secured to the end of a slidable link 54 by a suitable nut 55, the link 54 passing through a boss 56 formed on the flange lI3 of the plate I0. The button 53 is formed with an enlarged bore 51 and a compression spring 58 is positioned on the link 54, between the inner end of the bore 51 and the aforementioned boss 55.

The link 54 is equipped with a laterally projecting pin 59, the latter engaging a suitable aperture provided in an upturned end portion 5I] of a lever 5I. This lever is pivoted at 62 to the plate I9 and its remaining end is angulated to provide an upstanding ngrer 53. This nger is engageable with the portion 41 of the section' 39 of the connecting rod 36, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The link 5d is formed adjacent its lower end with a earn surface portion 64, this being engageable with the adjacent edge of a downwardly extendingl lug 65 provided at the end 56 of the pull bar 25. A further tension spring 61 is. an= chored at one end to the fiange I2, while its remaining end is secured to the pull bar 26.

Having thus described the constructional details of the invention, its method of operation will now be presented.

The invention is shown inthe unlocked position in the accompanying Figure l. In this position, turning of the outside door handle (not shown) will rotate the cam 23 in the direction of the arrow G9 and the lug 24 will act upon the pin 20, so that the associated bolt I4 is withdrawn from the catch (not shown) in the door frame, to permit opening of the door. It will be noted, that during this action, the bar 2G will remain stationary and the pin 29 will simply slide in the slot 21.

Similarly, the head 22 will slidably engage the may be opened by manipulating the inside door handle (not shown) whereby the pull bar 26 will be slid in the direction of the arrow 69. During this action the end of the slot 21 will engage the pin 20 and slide the same, together'with the associated bolt I4, to permit the opening of the door. It will be' noted that the cam 23 will remain stationary and the portion 2l will again slide'in the slot 48.

The invention may be locked manually in the conventional manner by depressing the button 53, as is illustrated in the accompanying Figure 5.

During this action, the pin 59 rwill actuate the 4 lever 6I so that the finger 53 engages the portion 41 and lifts the section 39 upwardly in the direction of the arrow 19. Simultaneously the pin 20 will be lifted upwardly and out of engagement with the lug 24, whereupon the outside door handle may be actuated without sliding the bolt I4. It will be noted, however, that a portion of the pin 2D still projects beyond the bolt I4 and remains in engagement with the slot 21. It is thus possibleto unlockvthe door from the inside, while such unlocking from the outside is prevented.

It should be noted that while the section 39 is being lifted upwardly, the section 38 will remain stationary.V This is facilitated by the movement o f the pin 44 in the slot 4I and by corresponding stretchingv of the spring 46, as the distance between-.the pins 44 and 45 increases.

As the link 54 is pushed downwardly, the cam 54' whichiheretofore was disposed above the end 66 of the bar 26, will engage the adjacent edge of the lug 65 and force the bar 26 against the resiliency of the springliT. After the cam 64 passes the lug B5, the spring B1 will return the bar 25 to its original location and thus retainthe button 53fin its depressed position; rIhe button may bereleased from this position by simply lift.- ing the same upwardly or alternatively, by actuatingthe inside door handle to pull ,the bar 26 and thus release the cam. The button will then be automatically returned to its normal position by the resiliency `of the spring 58.

Referring `now to the `accor'npan'ying Figure f6, the lock may beelectrically oontrolledby con: necting the-.terminals 30 of the solenoid 29 in series with the ignition system of the vehicle. As the ignition switch is turned on, the solenoid 29 will be energized and will dravvthearmature 33 inwardly, Ain the direction of the arrow 1 I. Simultaneously, the section 38 will be forced upwardly and as the lower end of 'the slot 4I'contacts `the pin 44, this upward movementV will be imparted also to the section 39. This action will be accom-r panied by a corresponding sliding ofthe pin 2B, this `eventually lassuming the position illustrated in Figure 6. The lower end of the'. pin 29, while inthisposition, will be flush with the lower sure face of the bolt L4 and it will be noted that both rotation of the cam 23 and sliding of the bar26 will be ineffective in slidingthe bolt for the purpose lof opening thedoor. It will thusbe impos-w sible to unlock the door from both the inside and out, as long as the ignition switch remains turned on and current passes through the solenoid 29. The advantages of the invention thus become readily apparent.

During the electrical locking operation, the lever 6I and the button 53 will remain stationary.

When the ignition switch is turnedy off, the solenoid 29 will release the armature 33 fromits magnetic effect andthe rod 36together with the asso-` ciated pin 2U will return to their original unlocked l positions under the action of gravity.

To further increase the utility of the invention, andre'ferri'ng again tothe accompanying Figure 5, the Vinvention may be unlocked from the outside after being locked manually by the push button' 53. This is accomplished by inserting the key 52 through the keyhole A5I so that the lug 12- thereof engages between ythe lugs 59. Thereupon, by turning the key, thel bar 25 will be slid together with the associated bolt I4. It will be apparent that this'ac'tion is equivalent to opening the door byine'ans of the inside door hand-le.

While in the foregoing there hasbeen shown and described the preferred embodiment 'of this tion, a supporting plate, a spring pressed bolt slidable on said plate, an actuating pin extending transversely through said bolt, an externally operable element and an internally operable element engaging said pin, and solenoid `actuated means for disengaging said pin from said elements.

2. A safety door lock comprising in combination, a supporting plate, a spring pressed bolt slidable on said plate, a slidable actuating pin extending transversely through said bolt, an externally operable cam and an internally operable pull bar engageable with said pin, and solenoid actuated means for disengaging said pin from said cam and from said bar.

3. A safety door lock comprising in combination, a supporting plate, a spring pressed bolt slidable on said plate, a slidable actuating pin extending transversely through said bolt, an eX- ternally operable cam, an internally operable bar formed with a slot,` one end of said pin extending through said slot and engaging said cam, a head at the remaining end of said pin, a solenoid on said plate, a slidable armature in said solenoid, a connecting rod secured at one end thereof to said armature, an angulated portion formed with a slotted detent at the remaining end of said connecting rod, said head slidably engaging said detent, and an internally operable push button for sliding said pin independently of said so1enoid.

4. The device as deiined in claim 3, in which said connecting rod comprises a pair of overlapped sections, said sections being resilientlY connected together and relatively slidable, a slidable link, said button being mounted on said link, a lever pivoted to said plate, one end of said lever being connected to said link and the remaining end of said lever being engageable with one section of said connecting rod, the remaining section of said` rod being connected to said solenoid.

5. The device as dened in claim 3, together with externally operable `means for actuating said pull bar, said means comprising a pair of spaced lugs on said pull bar adapted to receive a key therebetween, said plate being formed with a keyhole to facilitate the insertion of said key.

6. A safety door lock comprising in combination, a supporting plate, a spring pressed bolt slidable on said plate, a slidable actuating pin extending transversely through said bolt, an externally operable cam and an internally operable pull bar engageable with said pin, and internally operable means for disengaging said pin from said cam.

7. A safety door lock comprising inl combination, a supporting plate, a spring `pressed bolt slidable on said plate, a slidable actuating pin extending transversely through said bolt, an externally operable earn and an internally operable pull bar engageable with said pin, internally operable means for disengaging said pin from said cam, and solenoid actuated means for disengaging said pin from said cam and from said bar.

8; In a safety door lock including a slidable bolt, a slidable pull bar disposed adjacent said bolt, a pin extending transversely through said bolt and through said bar, a cam engageable with said pin for sliding said bolt independently of said bar, and means for sliding said bar in unison with said bolt independently of the actuation of said cam.

, 9. A safety door lock comprising in combination, a supporting plate, a spring pressed bolt slidable on said plate, an internally operable pull bar slidably disposed adjacent said bolt, a slidable actuating pin extending through said bolt and through said bar, an externally operable cam engageable with said pin for sliding said bolt independently of said bar, means for sliding said bar in unison with said bolt independently of the operation of said cam, an internally operable push button for sliding said pin out of engagement with said cam, and solenoid actuated means for disengaging said pin from said cam and from said bar.

10. The device as defined in claim 9, together with means for locking said pin out of engagement with said cam upon the actuation of said push button, said means being releasably engageable with said bar.

LAWRENCE J. FORNWALD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Ching Mar. 10, 1942 

